Fan Fiction Friday: The Man Behind The Masks – Part 1

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“You burst into my father’s office to drag me out for this?” I stared at Yasei, not quite sure whether to consider this as an intrusion or a rescue.

“I know! Isn’t it great?”

She had that manic smile on her face again. The smile that said, whatever I’d planned for the day had just gone up in smoke.

I held it up, with its turquoise dribbled streaks down the sides and yellow suns painted around the eye sockets. “It’s just a mask. Surely, this could have waited until the end of the day?”

That smile screwed-up like a ball of paper. “Just — a — mask?” Her two firm hands clamped onto my shoulders and my whole body shook. “Are you blind, Ronri? Take a look at the craftmanship. Someone has poured their entire heart and soul into this piece of art. Can’t you feel the artist’s struggle and torment? Don’t you understand the meaning of it?” She released me and thrust the mask towards my nose. “They’re trying to say how unfair life is and how they need to be brave to endure the pain and suffering of the world!”

Again, I studied the mask for these significant messages, but they escaped me. “I… are we even talking about the same thing?”

“Look harder,” she insisted. “And tell me what you see.”

I did try, honestly. “Well, the eyes are crooked and the painting is shambolic. I’m certain some of the younger children in the village could do a better job.”

She yanked on two handfuls of her curly black hair. “I can’t believe you just said that. Actually no, I can believe you just said that.”

I used to have a bad habit of telling the truth. I told things as they were because when your father is an accountant for the mayor, you have to learn to be succinct.

A stubby finger jabbed into my chest. “Do I need to remind you that I’m the only friend you’ve got around here?”

“No, I am fully aware that due to my father I’m not exactly popular.”

“Well, if your old man cancels the Harvest Festival, what did you expect?”

I undid my top button and pulled at the collar. “But we had the floods, then a drought. What little harvest we have left to celebrate is rather insignificant. Is it not prudent to buy extra grain for a harsh winter?”

Yasei tossed the mask from side to side in her hands. “People need more than food to live through the winter, you know. You have to have something to look forward to after the snows have gone. You know, something fun?”

“Fun, yes…fun.” Such an odd word really, where does it come from? I thought.  “As you already know, my father does not know the meaning of the word.”

She scratched the back of her head. “He didn’t forget again?”

I glared at her.

“Then by the Goddesses, why are you tidying his files?”

The grass came into view as it often did when pondering a question.  Why indeed. If my own father could not acknowledge the day of my birth, it was my responsibility to do so. Except, it is so very hard to celebrate a birthday alone.

She rummaged inside her battered leather backpack, “Here.”

I considered the object she was offering, half wrapped and half falling out of blue paper. The green ribbon had been tied into a droopy lopsided bow and reminded me of a sad dog.

“What is it?”

Yasei smirked. “Since you don’t like the mask, I made you. I bought you something else just in case.”

“I’m sorry, you made that?” I said, incredulous.

She nodded and put it on. “Yep, slaved away all last week. You’re right about my carving though; the eyes aren’t straight.” She giggled. “What are you waiting for? Go on, open it.”

Birthday presents were somewhat of a novelty. I had given up long ago asking my father for such things, ‘What use does a boy have for toys?’ he would say. ‘Save your money, you never know what might happen.’ So, I did.

Having butterflies rather than bricks in my stomach felt nice. I took my time; not wanting this to be over, but Yasei perched on my shoulder making it ache.

“You don’t save the paper silly, rip it,” she said, nudging me with her elbow.

There wasn’t much in the way of paper to rip but I followed the instructions regardless. I picked up the object and felt the satisfying stretch and pull of a rubber band. “An actual slingshot.” I couldn’t believe my luck!

“You haven’t stopped going on about it since Pa got them in stock. And I’m not a cheap skate either! I saved up and bought it with my own rupees. I knew you’d get funny otherwise.”

“Thank you!” I said, practically bouncing on the spot. “Thank you!! Thank you!!!”

Yasei shrugged. “Yeah, yeah. I know I’m the best, so let’s go try it out already.” She dragged me by the sleeve.  “Come on, I know a place.”

Our town — which in truth is more like a village — is called Kawaranai. Having studied the geography of the local area, I can only conclude that we are too small to be worthy of note on a map. But I can assure you, that we do exist in the eastern region of Hyrule. It is a developing settlement, at least that’s what father says, but it never seems to change. We have farmers that tend the land, a small herd of cattle and one shop. The nearby river is called the Kawa, which eventually runs underground to meet Lake Hylia in the south west.

A booming voice called out to us. “Hey now, if it isn’t the birthday boy himself.”

I waved to the large man, who put down the crate he was carrying with a loud thud. “Good morning, Mr Muryō, are you going to the trading market at Hyrule Castle soon?”

“Aye, I’ll be setting off in the morning. Got some deliveries to make and I’m hoping to pick up a few other bits too.” He grinned at the girl. “You still wanting a mask? Not a pretty dolly like the other girls?”

She stuck out her tongue. “No way, how can you pretend to be a dragon with a stupid doll?”

Mr Muryō sighed. “Trust my daughter to want a mask. You should see what else they have there: music boxes, pinwheels and sickle moon flags. Feels like a holiday when the market’s in full swing.”

“Then let me go with you,” Yasei begged, lacing her fingers together.

But he shook his head. “When you’re older. I need to be trading not babysitting. Now don’t give me that look, you don’t even know the first thing about haggling! Soon as you learn the ropes properly, I’ll think about it then.”

“But-”

“So, you got your present already, eh?” Mr Muryō turned away and ruffled my auburn hair. “You may as well have these Deku Seeds too. Happy Birthday, son.”

I bowed as he gave the small pouch to me. “Thank you, sir.”

“Pa, will you stop embarrassing him? We have to go practice,” Yasei hissed.

“Alright, alright, you kids have fun. I’ll see you later.”

---

A short pleasant walk brought us to Swift Violet Woods, where a carpet of delicate purple petals swayed in the light breeze. Sunlight glinted through the leaves as Yasei raced ahead to the clearing, where a huge tree stump had been buried upside down many years ago. The dead roots of the tree could still be seen, intertwined with each other forming what resembled an altar. It was because of this, and the monstrous size of the oak, that it had become affectionately known as the Giant’s Table. Surrounding the table were 32 tall timber posts that had been driven into the ground in a perfect circle, but there was no one left in the village who was old enough to tell me what they were for.

“What’s taking so long?” Yasei groaned. She’d managed to fashion her skirt into a pair of culottes and shimmied up to the top in seconds.

In comparison, my new shoes were scuffed and I’d lost a few buttons trying to follow. “Coming.” I swung my left leg onto the ledge.

“Hey Ronri, you ever heard that the timbers in the ground are really giant’s teeth?”

Having finally scrambled onto the Giant’s Table, I lay panting on my back. “Father believes… that Poe stories are just superstitious… nonsense.”

“I heard that if a person dares to lie on the table and fall asleep, the spirits will make the giant’s mouth open and devour them.”

“Well, it would be my luck to be eaten by a giant on my birthday.” I muttered under my breath.

She held out a hand and hauled me to my feet. “Not today, today you are going to be the great hero that defeats the giant.”

“I’ve told you before, I’m not very good at pretending to be things.”

“That’s why I made you a mask,” she said holding it out once more. “When you wear a mask, you can be whoever you want to be. Doesn’t that make you happy?”

Is it even right to be happy that you are someone else? I wondered, as my hands shook to fix the wooden mask into place. “If my father caught me wearing this…”

“He won’t, now take a shot at the giant’s teeth. That’s a good one — dead ahead.”

I pulled out the slingshot, my arms straining as I took aim for the nearest post. The Deku Seed whizzed straight passed and disappeared into the bushes. The giant’s tooth remained, mocking me with its undented bark. “I think this hero is going to need a lot of practice.”

“Let me show you how to do it,” Yasei said, relieving me of my present. She closed one eye and stretched the rubber band to maximum. WHOOSH! We both watched enthralled as a large chunk of wood flew up into the air. “Take that, giant!”

I cannot be certain how long we spent in the woods, only that by the time we had ran out of Deku Seeds, my aim had improved significantly and my face ached from laughing so much. The late afternoon sun played hide and seek in the clouds, whilst we drank a pint of Lon Lon Milk between us and polished off the wild berries we’d found.

“It isn’t fair!” Yasei snatched at some flowers to make a chain. “I’d give anything to go to Hyrule Castle. How am I supposed to learn to be a merchant if I don’t even travel anywhere?”

I leaned back against the oak tree, my forehead hot and sticky. “If you volunteered to work in the shop for a few hours -”

“Yeah, Pa would just love that. I don’t want to be stuck behind the same counter, selling the same things and talking to the same people for the rest of my life.”

“Would that be so awful? I still cannot fathom this desire you have to leave the village.” As my eyelids drooped, she dumped a crown of Swift Violets on my head and sank down beside me.

“I keep telling you, I need to see what’s out there. Geez, the thought of living my whole life in Kawaranai… why would you want to stay? Nothing happens here, it’s boring. And besides, don’t you want to get away from your dad?”

I couldn’t deny it. Even if the thought of leaving everything behind terrified me. To have my fate tied to my father would be worse. I felt it every time I bit my tongue or pushed down the anger that flared up sometimes. “Yes, of course. I just need to find my own path that’s all.”

“You could be my assistant if you want, until you find out,” she grinned. “We could go travelling and explore Hyrule together.”

In the sunshine with a happy full stomach, I actually found myself toying with the idea. “Maybe we could…” I slurred.

“Ronri Okane, what do you think you’re doing?” a man asked, stepping forward and swatting away a stray branch with his cane.

Automatically, my back straightened to attention. He was wearing the same white shirt as I, but of course it was immaculate. “I’m playing, Father.”

Father removed his spectacles and gave them a brief polish with a clean handkerchief before replacing them. His cold blue eyes were inspecting and judging at the same time.

“You disgrace me.”

“It is my birthday, Father,” I reminded him, as if somehow this fact might make any difference.

“Yes, you’re tenth. At that age I was considered a man and no longer a boy. Tell me, does a man play in the woods?” He strolled towards us and Yasei’s hands balled into fists. “Does a man roll in the dirt and wear flowers in his hair?” I had no answers for him and even if I did, they would be wrong anyway. My father smiled and cocked his head to one side. “A slingshot?”

“Yes, a present from my friend.” My throat felt dry as if someone had poured gravel down it.

“May I?” he asked, already tugging it from my fingers. He examined the weapon and pulled at the rubber band. “I possessed one of these myself in the past.”

“I’ve never heard you talk about it.”

My father nodded. “Easy to use but tricky to master, I remember using the neighbor’s cat as a target once.” He laughed at me. “And when my father found out, he took my sling shot and snapped it… in half.”

I heard the sickening crack but it was only when Yasei started yelling that the two discarded pieces made any sense. “Why did you do that?”

“Leave, this is a conversation between my son and I,” his voice was a low growl.

But Yasei had never been the type to do as she was told. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Defiance would not end well. The precious mask tucked under my armpit was the only solid thing in my world right now. I dragged her back, hating the way her green eyes reflected my pathetic face. “You have to go,” I wheezed.

She thumped my chest. “It’s not fair. It’s your birthday.”

“I know.”

As I watched her dash through the trees, I hoped that she wouldn’t reach Mr Muryō and tell him what my father had done. It never helped. I saw two faceless shadows; long, black and thin on the ground. I wish I could be someone else, I thought, taking off the flower crown and letting it drop over the slingshot’s broken body.

My father sneered. “So, you received another present for your birthday?”

Slowly, I revealed the mask. “The artist is trying to say how unfair life is and how they need to be brave to endure the pain and suffering of the world.”

“Is that so? I never realized you held such an interest in the arts, Ronri. But what use does a man have for a mask?”

To anyone else this may have sounded logical, reasonable even. He came closer and my finger nails dug into the wood. I backed away.

“Give it to me,” he frowned, continuing to advance.

I looked down at the hero mask and it seemed to be smiling at me. “You can be whoever you want to be,” I whispered.

“I said, give it to me.” the swish of his cane punctuated his command.

For the first time as a man, I looked at my father and uttered the one word I’d never been able to say.

“No.”

 

Alison Brunyee is an Original Content Editor for Zelda Dungeon. She likes reading manga and collecting Japanese wind chimes. Her favorite Zelda game is Ocarina of Time.